Heart Shaped Wreckage
by AriandEzra
Summary: "Look at this heart-shaped wreckage. What have we done? We have got scars from battles nobody won. We can start over, better both of us know if we just let the broken pieces go."


**I don't know if any of you watch Smash, but there was a song in this week's episode that fit Ezria perfectly. It's called "Heart Shaped Wreckage" and even though the lyrics are in this story, I highly suggest listening to it. It's a gorgeous song. **

**Depending on the popularity of this one shot, I might turn it into a full blown story. Please review! They honestly mean the world to me!**

**DISCLAIMER: I own nothing, sigh. **

* * *

_I can't find you in the dark_

_Will we get back to who we are?_

_And I can't fix this on my own_

_Our love is still the best thing I've ever known._

* * *

With the summer came a plethora of changes. The sun rose just a tad higher in the sky that it did during spring and the temperatures heated up, sometimes to the horrid degree that made the tiny town of Rosewood feel like a perpetual oven. Ice cream became a prevalent treat. Jeans were packed away in favor of floating, airy skirts and shorts. Bathing suits and people trekking to the beach were daily occurrences. The hum of air conditioners became a simple tune radiating from every house.

But along with the much awaited season was perhaps the most life changing event of a high school senior's life – graduation. The acceptance letters had been sent out from colleges and each student had made their decision on where they'd head off to in order to start the next chapter of their lives. For Aria Montgomery, she'd chosen Emerson College in Boston, a liberal arts school where she would major heavily in Journalism with a side of Creative Writing. It was a good distance away from her hometown, but not too far that she couldn't take a train back when it came time for the holidays.

Though, she wasn't quite sure she wanted to come back often. Rosewood hadn't felt like home since the middle of her senior year. To be more exact, the day she let Ezra go.

Aria didn't like to rehash the nasty events of their break up. She'd done it for his own good – what kind of a person would she be if she continued a relationship where his son could potentially be thrown into danger? A selfish one, that's what she would've been. Aria wouldn't stand for it. She loved Ezra too much; still loved at that.

Their speaking had gone close to nonexistent, only when he called upon her while subbing for her class. Aria used to know every intimate detail of Ezra's life; the type of toothpaste he hated, how strongly he brewed his coffee, the small quirk he had about making his bed in the morning. She couldn't blame him for putting his son first, but Aria couldn't sit by anymore and watch her precious relationship tear itself to shreds – hence why she'd done it herself.

A small feeling of regret tended to fill her stomach once and awhile when she saw him around town. Only once or twice had it been with Malcolm, but now it seemed like Ezra kept his son hidden from the world. The times during class had been the most excruciating – his eyes would meet hers and they'd stare at one another painstakingly. It just about broke her heart. And Aria could tell it was breaking Ezra's in the process as well.

Her acceptance to Emerson had been something of a relief. The quicker she got out of Rosewood, the less pain she could cause Ezra. Aria would go off and have a normal college experience; the kind that he always said he wanted her to have, and Ezra could go be a family with Maggie and Malcolm. It seemed to be a flawless plan in her head.

But even the best laid plans must go awry. Given her and Ezra's history, they always did.

Smoothing her hands down the burgundy polyester fabric of her graduation robe, something in Aria's perception of herself changed. With the cap perched upon her head of dark curls, she saw an adult ready to take on the world. It was a new vision – Aria had never quite seen herself as an adult. Mature, perhaps, but never an adult.

An adult ready to take on responsibilities; the type of adult Ezra needed in his life. Aria couldn't deny the fact that she missed him. He'd always been the constant in her life when things got messy. But somehow, their relationship turned catastrophic.. The love of Ezra Fitz was something the brunette had always held dear to her. Their romance was supposed to be her first and last one. She missed how his arms would wrap about her waist and how his nose would press into his hair while they slept. She missed how she fit so easily into his side. Aria missed Ezra's warm laugh and the sparkle in his blue eyes that was always present when she was around.

She missed _him. _

Their relationship was not something Aria could fix by herself, nor had she been ready six months prior to try and attempt to repair it. But perhaps now, with the adult world brushing her fingertips, she was ready.

* * *

_Look at this heart-shaped wreckage_

_What have we done?_

_We have got scars from battles_

_Nobody won._

* * *

A warm summer breeze filtered through the trees that surrounded Rosewood High's courtyard. Students in their matching maroon robes climbed the stage one by one to get their diploma with the diligent eyes of the town watching. Parents with huge smiles looked on while their children took their next steps towards adulthood. Siblings either looked bored or had an expression resembling those of their parents. Teacher's looked proud, at least, all but one teacher.

Ezra Fitz stood in his starched dark suit, the light blue button down underneath bringing his cerulean eyes to focal point. His hands were folded in front of him as he watched each student shake hands with the principal and exit the stage to go back to their respected seating. His smile had been present, but after the first thirty names the sweltering heat had gotten to the young man as well as the one name that had been called out.

_Aria Montgomery. _

He watched as his former girlfriend made her way onto the stage. Her chunky heels clunked against the surface, making him chuckle – even in regulation graduation wear, she'd find a way to make it her own. Ezra's heart leapt up into his throat as a brilliant smile blazed across her face the moment she was handed her diploma. Aria was a high school graduate – an adult. Although to Ezra, she'd always been someone of high maturity.

He missed her. That was undoubtedly true. At night, he'd reach for something in his bed and only catch the cold night air. Six months had gone by as an eternity for Ezra. He thought he'd find comfort in his son and the tiny family he had quickly acquired himself, but a family didn't feel right if Aria wasn't a part of it. Even when he, Malcolm, Maggie, and Aria were a small, dysfunctional family, it felt better than to be without her.

But now he didn't have Malcolm to rely on to make him smile. A paternity test had proved everything Ezra thought to be true a lie; Malcolm wasn't his. Maggie had cheated on him the night after graduation with some guy named Marcus. Now, Ezra was upset and it wasn't something easy for him to get over, but slowly, he found himself healing from one of the biggest lies he'd ever encountered in his life. But the healing process was proving to be hard without Aria at his side to rub a reassuring hand down his back.

She was going off to Boston in the fall – Ella had told him one day at a faculty meeting when she'd gotten a text from her daughter with the news. Ezra had felt gutted. Aria was escaping, or as Ella put it, _running away from something_. Aria's mother wasn't base; she knew exactly what her daughter was scampering from just as well as Ezra did.

Aria was running from him.

At first, it confused him – he wasn't a father anymore. Somehow, the complications seemed to resolve themselves. But then it dawned on Ezra that Aria didn't know. They hadn't talked in months except for a few moments in the classroom when she spoke up and gave an answer to a question. He didn't know what was going on in her life, if she had a new hobby, finished up writing in one of her journals, or discovered a new Chinese restaurant. It depressed Ezra so much so that he spent some nights on his couch with one too many tumblers of scotch.

Watching her exit the stage, Ezra knew only one thing – he wanted her back. And he had to do it before Aria flitted off to college. Before she could forget about him and what they had shared together before things went wrong.

* * *

_We can start over, better_

_Both of us know_

_If we just let the broken pieces_

_Let the broken pieces go._

* * *

The fairy lights around the Hastings' home glimmered in the night sky. Music blared from speakers placed around the yard, people milling about with glasses in hand and a few being daring enough to dance in the midst of congratulations and chatter. The party was clearly in full swing. With a sullen expression, Aria reached for a glass to fill with Coke. The initial excitement of getting her diploma had worn off and instead she was thinking about Ezra. Seeing him in the back of the courtyard near a few other teachers had put thoughts in her head. And they weren't ones she could chase away with the distraction of conversation with her peers. Her parents were somewhere, socializing with others while Spencer had run off with her current flame, Andrew. Hanna was somewhere with Caleb, celebrating their graduation and excursion to UCLA together in the fall. Emily was in the midst of talking with a few of her swim team members.

If Aria and Ezra had still been together, she would've towed him along at her side without a care that she had taken a substitute teacher for her English class to her graduation party. Aria had always been proud to have him. Instead though, she was alone – both physically and mentally. She was encased in her own world filled with regrets and what ifs all having to do with a lanky man who had blue eyes as deep as the ocean. With a sigh, Aria headed off towards a small bridge in the back of Spencer's yard. It was old and splintered with shards of wood, but the seclusion of its location was what made it appealing. While heading over, Aria made eye contact with Spencer, but looked away with a small shrug.

She wondered how their relationship had gotten so warped in the matter of seconds. Aria leaned against the railing of the bridge, cup dangling over the side. A breeze rippled through her cream chiffon dress, but it didn't matter. Her mind was stuck, wondering why she and Ezra couldn't have made it work – why she'd given up on them so easily after the many times that she had pushed them to stay together.

They always gravitated back to one another anyhow.

"So let's break the spell and lift the curse. Remember where we fell for each other, head first," Aria sang quietly to herself, a small tear rolling off her cheek. Her throat felt like it had closed up and sobs were about to emerge from her chest when a familiar voice stopped the tears. A look of shock crossed her face.

"Spencer said she saw you go this way." Ezra Fitz stood in front of her, having changed out of his suit and into a pair of dark wash jeans and a crisp white button down. Aria took a good look at him – he hadn't changed. There was still the same curly shock of dark hair. His eyes were still the deep cerulean shade, but Aria could see the glimmer in them that she'd been missing.

"Ezra," she breathed, walking straight off the bridge and into his open arms. They'd had intimate moments before, like their sacred ground for instance, but it was never quite like this. The simplicity of a hug was beautiful, but nothing felt better than Ezra's arms wrapping tight around her, his lips pressed into her hair from Aria's face was nuzzled into his chest.

He could feel his throat tighten with tears that he was trying to keep unshed. "I missed you," Ezra managed to sputter out.

Aria was too busy muffling her cries with his shirt. Ezra even smelled the same; like rich coffee with a mix of old books and cinnamon. Her fingers clung to the back of his shirt, still not releasing him from her hold even as she looked up at him. Ezra gasped – he'd missed those wide hazel eyes. "Why couldn't we make it work, Ezra? Why was I stupid enough to just…give you up?"

"You weren't stupid, Aria. You had to make the best decision for yourself." It pained him to say the words. Ezra winced, almost as if he was reliving their breakup and not a tender, apologetic moment.

"I was wrong," she choked out, burying her face in his chest again. "The best decision I've ever made for myself was you. I didn't know a lot six months ago, and I still don't know much now, but I know my heart. It's been saying _you_ this entire time. I want you, even with the complications."

They were the most beautiful words Ezra thought he'd ever heard. "We've fought too many fruitless battles, Aria," he spoke softly. "Nobody ever ended up winning – the point of winning was to be happy and I certainly wasn't. I'm guessing you weren't either." Another sob erupted from her, causing Ezra to smooth a hand down Aria's back. "We've been to hell and back, but I'd go through trials and tribulations if it meant to keep you at my side. I've always been yours, Aria."

She sniffled softly, looking up at him. Aria could feel her heart beating rapidly against her chest cavity. "We'll make it work this time around, even with Malcolm and Maggie."

"They're not in the picture anymore," Ezra said quietly, hoping his voice wouldn't betray his feelings about that. He didn't want to delve into the subject much at the moment. From the expression on his face, one that was slightly twisted, Aria nodded and placed a hand on his chest.

"We'll make it work," Aria repeated. "Because we're supposed to be with one another."

"Just let the broken pieces go," Ezra whispered, tilting her face up so that their lips could meet. Never had there been a sweeter kiss in the world.

* * *

_Look at this heart-shaped wreckage_

_What have we done?_

_We have got scars from battles_

_Nobody won._

_We can start over, better_

_Both of us know_

_If we just let the broken pieces_

_Let the broken pieces go._


End file.
